Morphological observation and mineralogical analysis of basaltic debris from a Chang'e-5 drilled lunar soil sample (Open Access)--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Cao, H., Zou, M., Zhang, W., Li, X., Zhang, R., Liang, Q., . . . Li, X. (2025). Morphological observation and mineralogical analysis of basaltic debris from a Chang'e-5 drilled lunar soil sample. Particuology, 96, 256-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2024.11.003

Morphological observation and mineralogical analysis of basaltic debris from a Chang'e-5 drilled lunar soil sample (Open Access)

Hongtao Cao^a, Meng Zou^a *, Wei Zhang^b *, Xinyang Li^c, Rui Zhang^a, Qing Liang^b, Zhenzhen Zhao^b, Dengman Feng^c, Zizhun Wang^b, Nailin Yue^b, Xicheng Li^a, Fangfei Li^c, Qiang Zhou^c, Li Liu^d *, Xiujuan Li^a *

a Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
b Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Jilin Provincial International Cooperation Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Clean Energy Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
c Synergetic Extreme Condition High-Pressure Science Center, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
d Deep Space Exploration Lab, Beijing 100195, China

10.1016/j.partic.2024.11.003

Volume 96, January 2025, Pages 256-263

Received 14 October 2024, Revised 17 November 2024, Accepted 18 November 2024, Available online 28 November 2024, Version of Record 10 December 2024.

E-mail: zoumeng@jlu.edu.cn; weizhang@jlu.edu.cn; lunarsample@163.com; xiujuanli@jlu.edu.cn

Highlights

• Chemical composition of minerals within a 1 m depth range was confirmed in the Chang'e-5 lunar soil sample.

• Crystals with rock textures, spherical droplets, bubbles, and microcracks were found in the Chang'e-5 lunar soil sample.

• Delicate 3D rendering of sample modal distribution was given for the Chang'e-5 lunar soil sample.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the morphological characteristics and mineralogy of drilled basaltic clast sample CE5Z0806YJYX004, compares the variations in Chang'e-5 samples at different depths, and conducts a comparative analysis with surface-collected samples from Chang'e-5 and Apollo missions. Interestingly, Advanced electron microscopy identified bubbles and microcracks on the surface of some constituting mineral particles, and also displays crystalline particles with distinct rock textures and spherical droplets, revealing surface phenomena formed by space weathering. Based on Raman spectroscopy analysis, the main mineral phases were identified as 49.6 vol% pyroxene, 31.4 vol% plagioclase and 8.8 vol% olivine. Apatite, ilmenite and cristobalite are also found. The results indicate that the Chang'e-5 lunar soil exhibits similar mineral compositions at different depths. In short, a comparison was made between our drilling sample and the Chang'e-5 soil samples as well as samples from the Apollo mission series, demonstrating the physical similarities and some variations.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Chang'e-5; Lunar soil; Drilled sample; Physical properties; Mineralogy

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